When providing network access, a service provider may require a user to provide authentication before providing network access. For example, a user may be required to provide a username and a password before the service provider will allow access to the network. More particularly, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) may provide Internet access via digital subscriber line (DSL), dial up, and/or cable modem for subscribers having service accounts with the ISP, and the ISP may require a subscriber to Log-In by entering a username and password before providing access to the Internet. Authentication and/or Log-In prior to network use can be used by the service provider, for example, to deny network access to unauthorized users (i.e. those without a subscription), to determine usage of subscribers for billing purposes, to deny access when a subscriber has not paid a bill, and/or to enhance security.
Many ISP's provide a customer service channel, such as a Help Desk, so that subscribers can obtain assistance with network usage. For example, an ISP may have customer service representatives available to answer telephone calls from subscribers needing assistance. If a subscriber has forgotten, lost, or otherwise disposed of their password, he/she may thus be unable to Log-In through the ISP for Internet access, and the subscriber may typically call a customer service representative to reset the password to a new password so that network service may be obtained.
A large ISP with many customers may thus receive many customer service calls from subscribers, and a high percentage of these customer service calls may be requests to reset forgotten passwords. A significant reduction in the number of customer service calls received to reset forgotten passwords may thus provide a significant reduction in a burden on a customer service department and costs associated therewith.